NHL Morning Links - Nov. 22

Forward Gustav Nyquist could have made the decision a lot easier for the Detroit Red Wings by simply stinking out the joint following his call-up from Grand Rapids. Instead, Nyquist scored two goals and earned first star of the night honors in Thursday’s 4-3 victory over the Carolina Hurricanes, subsequently giving GM Ken Holland, coach Mike Babcock and co. a lot to think about. If Nyquist plays one more NHL game, he loses his waiver-exempt status.

So, the Red Wings must figure out whether they want to keep the 24-year-old Swede up for the rest of the season. The absence of flexibility in demoting Nyquist, if he struggles, is one worry, while the salary cap is another. Having Danny DeKeyser on LTIR alleviates that immediate concern, but the defenseman is due back by the end of December (at the latest). Then what? It's a tough call, all around.

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Rumor Central represents regular tips and analysis from ESPN sources plus numerous credible external sources from every form of media. We will speculate intelligently and consider future possibilities on open-ended topics. If something looks speculative, it was intended to be.